Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Happy Birthday Binnie Barnes

British-born actress who appeared in both British and American films, but who found her greatest success in Hollywood second leads. After a variety of jobs, including nurse, chorus girl and milkmaid, Barnes entered vaudeville. She appeared in more than a score of short comedies with comedian Stanley Lupino before making her feature bow in 1931. Two years later she achieved prominence as one of the half-dozen wives of the King in The Private Life of Henry VIII. (1933). The following year she moved to Hollywood and began a career as the smart-aleck pal of the lead or as the angry "other woman." Barnes also played numerous leading roles, but spent most of the 1930s and 40s in strong supporting parts. In 1940 she married football star (and later producer) M.J. Frankovich and after the war, they moved to Italy and appeared in several films there and elsewhere in Europe. She retired from films in 1954, but returned for a few roles in the late 60s and early 70s. She worked busily with numerous charities until her death in 1998.

2 comments:

I haven't seen her in too much myself Dawn. But she has been in some notable films. Like Daytime Wife with Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell; Holiday with Cary Grant and Kate Hepburn; Broadway Melody of 1938 with Eleanor Powell and Robert Taylor; the Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows films of the 60's with Rosalind Russell and Stella Stevens. Binnie played Sister Celestine. She is a very actress by the way from what I have seen of her.